A variety of printers are used as an output device of computers. The printer is conventionally one-to-one connected to a computer via a specific cable like a two-way parallel interface (hereinafter referred to as ‘local connection’), and receives data from the computer to carry out printing. With recent advancement of LANs (Local Area Networks), multiple printers connecting with a network share one or plural printers connected to the network.
Application of a certain protocol called IPP (Internet Printing Protocol) actualizes printing between an arbitrary client and an arbitrary printing apparatus, both connecting with the Internet. In this application, however, the output resource is restricted to printing apparatuses having known URIs (Uniform Resource Indicators). The simple application of IPP thus does not attain printing with the high utility that allows free choice of the output resource on the network.
In any of the known applications mentioned above, the state of connection of the printer with the computer is generally fixed. In other words, printing is typically carried out at a fixed location for each owner of the computer.
The recent development of the information infrastructure, such as the Internet, and the improvement in mobility of terminals used for access to the information infrastructure, such as mobile computers and cellular phones, enable access to information from any locations. In such circumstances, the technique of allowing free choice of the output resource for printing on the network has highly been demanded. One desired procedure uses a closest printing apparatus to carry out printing immediately after collection of information to be printed. Such a printing requirement should readily be executable from any mobile terminal.
In the structure of allowing free choice of the output resource on the network, however, there are a diversity of requirements as discussed below.
Requirements Relating to Transmission of Print Data
The print data is generally converted into print control data proper to each printer (hereinafter referred to as ‘raw data’) by a printer driver and supplied to the printer. In order to enhance the degree of freedom in selection of the printing apparatus, it is required to assure the flexibility of print data supplied to the printing apparatus.
Requirements Relating to Accuracy and Stability of Printing
The enhanced degree of freedom in selection of the output resource leads to the possibility that printing is carried out with an unintentional output resource due to wrong specification by the client. The printing apparatus specified as the output resource may be located at a place apart from the client. Even under such conditions, it is required to ensure successful printing. The printing system utilizing the printing apparatus requires various costs, for example, of expendables like printing paper and ink, power supply to the printing apparatus, and maintenance of the printing apparatus. Proper charging for these costs is required without mistakes.
Requirements Relating to Prevention of Illegal Printing
The enhanced degree of freedom in selection of the output resource leads to the possibility that faithless printing requirements damage the benefits of the owners of the respective printing apparatuses and the well-intentioned common users. This includes the case of non-required printing of an extremely large volume and the case of leaving prints uncollected after the user's output of a printing requirement. These cases are disadvantageous to the owners of printing apparatuses, since they can not properly charge for expendables like ink and paper. These cases are also disadvantageous to the well-intentioned common users, since the mass-volume printing interferes with normal use of the printing apparatuses.
In order to prevent illegal printing, it is required to make the relationship between the respective users and available printing apparatuses under certain management. An increase in number of available printing apparatuses as the possible options significantly increase the loading of management. The requirement is thus construction of a system that allows flexible selection among a large number of printing apparatuses, while avoiding an extreme increase in loading of management.
Requirements Relating to Enhancement of Utility
In the actual services, there are requirements to collectively print a plurality of contents. Especially in the case of printing gained information at any out-home or out-office place, collective printing of multiple contents is highly demanded to reduce the required printing time and printing cost and to simplify the required operations.
The user may desire to print an identical document at multiple places. Documents like catalogs, application forms, and estimate sheets used on business correspond to such requirements. If the user is required to always carry document data for printing such typical documents, this damages the utility of the printing environment that allows free choice of the output resource.
From these viewpoints, the requirement is thus construction of a system having high utility in the printing process.
Requirements Relating to Ensuring Accurate Delivery of Prints
In the printing environment that allows free choice of the output resource, there is a possibility that printing requirements from unspecific plural people are concentrated on one identical printing apparatus. It is thus required to ensure accurate delivery of resulting prints to the right users. It is also required to readily find the cause if the user receives a print different from the requirement.
Requirements Relating to Protection of Profits of Printer Owners
For example, it is assumed that a business proprietor locates a printer in a shop and provides printing services with this printer via the Internet. In such cases, there may be a business requirement that the shop owner who owns the printer desires to restrict printing of contents, which may benefit competitors' shops. There may also be another business requirement that the content provider who provides contents on Web pages via the Internet desires to restrict the output resource to printers located at specific shops. The requirement on business is thus the functionality of controlling the output resource and other printing conditions according to contents to be printed.
Each printing service provider naturally desires to make its services unique and different from those of other printing service providers. The system that allows arbitrary choice of the output resource should thus be constructed for each printing service provider who provides printing services. Under such circumstances, to attain the functionality of restricting output resources, individual registration is required between each content provider and each printing service provider who provides printing services. The registration work is remarkably troublesome when there are a large number of content providers and printing service providers.